Justice News

Essex County, N.J., Man Admits Credit Card Fraud

NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, N.J., man today admitted his role in a scheme to illegally obtain and use duplicate credit cards, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Abdullah Bryant, 34, of Irvington, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dennis Cavanaugh to Count One of an Indictment charging him with bank fraud. Under the terms of the plea, the remaining four counts of aggravated identity theft and four counts of credit card fraud are dismissed.

According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Bryant and others got JP Morgan Chase Bank to issue and send, via UPS, 21
duplicate credit cards based on phone calls from persons purporting to be the credit card holders. The callers falsely represented that they were Chase Bank credit card account holders who needed replacement cards and requested that the cards be shipped to addresses different from those appearing on Chase's records.

Between Sept. 16, 2011, and Sept. 25, 2011, Bryant unlawfully obtained and used four credit cards issued by Chase Bank, making and attempting to make purchases totaling approximately $60,000. The purchases consisted primarily of luxury items such as jewelry and expensive electronic equipment such as computers, as well as 3D and HD television sets. The aggravated identity theft charges are based on defendant Bryant’s use of the identities of the four true account holders as he used the card.

The bank fraud charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 millionfine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 5, 2013.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James Mottola, and the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lorraine Gerson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.